Bulldogs in Sixth after 18 Holes at ROAR-EE Invitational

SUFFERN, N.Y. -
The Yale women's golf team struggled in the first round at the ROAR-EE Invitational on Friday. After 18 holes, the Bulldogs (323) are in sixth, 21 shots behind the Tigers of Princeton (302). Last year's Ivy League champions, Harvard (309), are in second with Penn (313) and Fairleigh Dickinson (313) in a tie for third. Columbia (319) rounds out the top-five in fifth.

The normally consistent Bulldogs posted four out of five rounds in the 80s on Friday. Coming into the season, staying out of the 80s was one of the team's main goals.

"We all came in to this tournament thinking we were going to post really low numbers," said sophomore Cassie Boles. "Everyone played the front nine strongly. The par-5 11th really gave people some trouble, and I think it went downhill from there. The last two holes were also problematic, which I think but a damper on the end of the round for a lot of people."

The last time the Bulldogs competed, they won the Winthrop Intercollegiate, but with 25 days off, much of the momentum died.

"I think the time off definitely had something to do with it," said Boles. "The course itself isn't very difficult. There isn't a lot of trouble out there. We just got down on ourselves and people couldn't get out of their slumps."

Boles led the way for the Bulldogs on Friday with her six-over round of 78, and she currently sits in a tie for 14th. Boles was the only Bulldog to make it into the top-20. Sophomore Harriet Owers-Bradley is in a tie for 25th, after a round of 80 (+8). Senior captain Natasha Spackey is one shot behind Owers-Bradley in a tie for 30th. She shot a round of 81 (+9). Junior Taylor Lee and sophomore Alyssa Roland finished in ties for 35th and 41st, respectively. They shot within a stroke of each other with Lee shooting an 84 (+12) and Roland shooting 85 (+13).

"Regardless of what happens, this is a good tune-up for Ivies next week," said Boles.

The Bulldogs will look to close the gap Saturday morning when they tee-off for the final round of the tournament.